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Every second Saturday of the month, 4 pm - Divine Liturgy in English of Sunday - Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family, Duke Street, London W1K 5BQ. Followed by refreshments.Next Liturgy: Saturday 14th April - 3pm Great Vespers, 4pm Divine Liturgy for Sunday after Pascha (Pascha is on 8th April)

Friday, 24 January 2014

Mosul (Agenzia Fides) - The Iraqi Council of Ministers approved a plan on Tuesday, January 21 that provides for the establishment of a new independent province in the Nineveh Plain, in the northern region of the Country that is a traditional area of settlement of the Iraqi Christian populations. The proposal to create a special administrative unit for the Nineveh Plain is strongly supported by representatives of Christian politicians, who see in this measure a tool to curb the decline of Christian communities - the Chaldean, the Syriac and Assyrian - traditionally rooted in the territory. If the project is brought to completion, the new administrative unit shall have jurisdiction over a population consisting of at least 40 per cent of Christians and will have its own budget, its own administrative tools and its security forces .

Robert DeKalaita, executive member of the Chaldean Assyrian Syriac Council of America, described the initiative of the Government of Iraq as "a dream come true", presenting it as "the first step towards a practical solution for the critical condition our people have experienced for ten years". While the local politician Dildar Zebari, a member and former vice-president of the provincial council of the administrative unit, said that the decision of the Iraqi government obeys pressures from abroad and does not take into account the real aspirations of local communities.

"The children of Nineveh" said Zebari to Iraqi sources consulted by Fides Agency "support the spirit of Iraqi citizenship that implies support for a shared commitment towards the institutions of the State, and not the desire to separate Nineveh from the rest of Iraq". (GV) (Agenzia Fides 23/01/2014)

And an Interview with Minister Sargon Slewa by AINA here:
On January 21 the Iraq Council of Ministers approved a plan to establish
three new provinces in Iraq. One province would be in Fallujah, in central
Iraq; a second would be in north Iraq, in Tuz Khormato; the third would also be
in north Iraq, in the Nineveh Plain bordering the Kurdish areas. The Nineveh
Plain has the largest population of Assyrians (also known as Chaldeans and
Syriacs) in Iraq.

Sargon Slewa, the Minister of Environment and a member of the Iraqi
Parliament and of the Assyrian Democratic Organization, one of the largest
political parties that represents Assyrians and other Christians in Iraq,
requested the establishment of a province in the Nineveh Plain, pursuant to a
study of the needs of Christians, as outlined in Iraqi Cabinet meeting 54 in 2011.

The Council of Ministers instructed the State Minister for Provincial
Affairs to prepare a study of these projects and submit a report to the
Council.

Sargon Slewa: One of the main goals and reason for Assyrians to stay
in Iraq is to have self administration. This legislation lays the foundation
for achieving that goal.

Nuri Kino: Can you tell us where in the process you are?

Sargon Slewa: Recognizing the Nineveh Plain as province by the by the
Council of Ministers.

Nuri Kino: How many percent of the inhabitants of the plains are
Assyrians-Syriac-Chaldeans?

Sargon Slewa: Almost 40 percent. But still it
depends on the borders of the province and which districts will be included.

Nuri Kino: Practically speaking, what does that mean? Will the
Nineveh Plain have its own police force? Its own government? Its own budget?

Sargon Slewa: The Ministry of Provincial Affairs will conduct studies
and make preparations establish this province, which would have whatever is
needed in security, economy and government.

Nuri Kino: What role will the Assyrians play? On what level was the
decision made? The Iraqi government? The Parliament? Will there be a voting?

Sargon Slewa: This decision was taken at the governmental level.
There are special considerations for the Assyrians/Chaldeans/Syriacs. This
decision was taken to insure the continued existence of our community in the
region. There is much work to be done, but this was the main step and the most
difficult hurdle.

Nuri Kino: What does this mean for countries dealing with Iraq?

Sargon Slewa: The international community must pay good attention to
this issue, and in light of announcements to receive Christians refugees in
Western countries.

Nuri Kino: Tell me about your feelings. What are you feeling and
thinking right now?

Sargon Slewa: It is one of the greatest moments of my life. I feel
like I want to sleep, like when you have finished an exhausting and satisfying
task and you are tired and need a nap.

If
implemented this could change the reality on the ground for Assyrians and put
them in a position to have a say on their future in Iraq, hopefully reversing
the emigration to the West.

Attiya Gamri, an Assyrian member of the Provincial Parliament in North
Holland, said:

I am
very glad the Iraqi Parliament decided this. The Arab and Kurdish political parties
will get the chance to show the world they can realize an Iraq with different
ethnicities and different religions. In no any other country in the Middle East
is this realized; they have the opportunity to show the Assyrians in Iraq and
in the Diaspora that they want and will respect national minorities by giving
them the same rights as they have. The Arabs and Kurds can show the world that
this can be achieved in the Middle East. I hope this will be the first step
toward respect politically for the Assyrians in Iraq. What the Assyrians are
asking is not something new or different from what the Kurds and Arabs already
have.

The
rest of Iraq should not fear to allow the Christian Assyrians to have a
self-administrative region in the Nineveh Plains. They contributed to Iraq's
great history and legacy enormously and this could give them the opportunity to
do that again. The Iraqi Arabs and Kurds should realize that allowing the
Assyrians to protect themselves and receive a part of Iraq's budget would only
prove that they, Kurds and Arabs, care for Iraq and its stability.

We
congratulate our people on this first step toward a practical solution for our
people and their most difficult plight over the last 10 years in the form of
the recognition of the Nineveh Plain province. We thank all of those who
participated, whether publicly or privately, in making this dream come true. It
is a very first step to be sure. But a very critical first step. We are
grateful to all of our parties on the ground, both political and non-political,
for their untiring efforts and advocacy. Let it be very clear that we in the
Diaspora, in particular through the medium of the Nineveh Council of America and all of
the organizations and individuals that support it, intend to give our full
support to the positive growth of this province in the interest of our people
and all of Iraq.Speaking from Australia, Hermiz Shahen, Deputy Secretary of the Assyrian Universal
Alliance, said:

I
would like to thank Mr Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister and his Council
of Ministers on this rightful decision. My most heartfelt appreciation and
congratulations goes to all the thirteen political organisations that gathered
in 2010 in the City of Erbil upon request from the Assyrian Universal Alliance
and with one voice agreed on the demand on the establishment of a province for
the Assyrian people in Nineveh Plain. We also appreciate the efforts of all
diaspora Assyrian organisations that pushed for this cause. I believe the next
step is to make sure that the boarders and the law of this new province will be
made in a way that will serve and protect the rights and purpose of the
establishment of Nineveh Plain for the Assyrian people in Iraq. I would also
recommend that another conference by the coalition of our political
organisations and parties in Iraq to be called inviting all interested parties
to affirm that the demands of this nation will be served.

Will the Assyrian Exodus From Iraq Stop?

Since 2004 Iraq's Assyrians have experienced a low-grade genocide (report), with 73 churches bombed,
hundreds killed and more than half the Assyrian population forced into exile in
Syria, Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon. It is estimated that half of the Assyrians
who were in Iraq in 2004 have fled the country (report).

The decision to create a province in the Nineveh Plain comes on the heels of
a decision, made two weeks ago by The Iraqi National Assembly to recognize
Assyrian and Turkmen as official languages. Arabic and Kurdish are also
official languages. This decision allows public and private schools at all
levels to teach in Assyrian and any other officially recognized language.
Government documents are required to be provided in Arabic and Kurdish only.

The decision to make the Assyrian language official also instructs the
Minister of Education to open literacy centers for teaching the Assyrian. The
Ministry of Education has sent a letter to to the churches to urge people to
register for the literacy programs. The government will pay students to attend
classes twice a week and issue a certificate of completion.

Many Assyrian observers say these steps are too little and too late. Given
the drastic exodus of Assyrians from Iraq and the general mood of the
Assyrians, who see no future in a country torn apart by Sunni-Shiite
bloodletting and lack of economic opportunities, the Assyrians continue to
leave. Recently the Chaldean Church said that six Assyrian
families leave Iraq daily. For the first time in their history, there are more
Assyrians living outside of Iraq.

Observers also point out that many such decisions have been made in the past
but never been implemented, and are adopting and wait and see attitude.

Pray for the Unity of the Apostolic Churches

The Society of St John Chrysostom promotes greater appreciation of the spiritual, theological and liturgical traditions of Eastern Christendom, works and prays for the unity of the Churches of East and West, and encourages support for the Eastern Churches :

- the Byzantine and Oriental Catholic Churches in communion with the Apostolic See of Rome (especially in their contemporary calling to promote reconciliation and the recovery of union between Catholics and Orthodox)- the Orthodox Church- the Oriental Orthodox Churches and- the Church of the East.

In the United Kingdom and Europe the Society, founded in 1926, is a group of Catholics of the Latin and Eastern Churches, along with our friends in other traditions, promoting awareness and friendship in the Christian West for our fellow Christians of the East - through prayer and liturgy, conferences and lectures, pilgrimage and ecumenical encounters.